The corruption of the city government is run by an informal organization called the City Hall Machine. ​ Graft, bribery, extortion and manipulation of the official powers of government are coordinated systematically. ​ The machine uses the outer shell of the Democratic Party in town to mask its operation. ​ Each district has a ward captain, who reports directly to [[mayor_buckhouse|Mayor Buckhouse]] and acts as liaison to the gangs in his district. ​ ​Enforcement of the unlawful edicts of the machine are carried out by the [[mayor_s_aides|Mayor'​s Aides]] and the [[police_department_hierarchy|police inspectors]],​ or are contracted out to one of the gangs. ​ In the 1920's the machine had considerable connection with the Klu Klux Klan, but after that organization imploded late in the decade the connections were dropped. ​

The corruption of the city government is run by an informal organization called the City Hall Machine. ​ Graft, bribery, extortion and manipulation of the official powers of government are coordinated systematically. ​ The machine uses the outer shell of the Democratic Party in town to mask its operation. ​ Each district has a ward captain, who reports directly to [[mayor_buckhouse|Mayor Buckhouse]] and acts as liaison to the gangs in his district. ​ ​Enforcement of the unlawful edicts of the machine are carried out by the [[mayor_s_aides|Mayor'​s Aides]] and the [[police_department_hierarchy|police inspectors]],​ or are contracted out to one of the gangs. ​ In the 1920's the machine had considerable connection with the Klu Klux Klan, but after that organization imploded late in the decade the connections were dropped. ​

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The goal of the Machine is simply to steal every bit of tax money and every piece of valuable property that isn't nailed down in the city, without appearing to do so. It does favors for gangsters, in return for money. ​ It squeezes property owners, but can be easily bribed to lighten up. It skims money meant for relief, education, infrastructure and the like. Communication is handled strictly by telephone, with ward captains talking only to department heads, and department heads talking only to the mayor. ​

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The goal of the Machine is simply to steal every bit of tax money and every piece of valuable property that isn't nailed down in the city, without appearing to do so. It does favors for gangsters, in return for money. ​ It squeezes property owners, but can be easily bribed to lighten up. It skims money meant for relief, education, infrastructure and the like. Communication is handled strictly by telephone ​or in person, never in writing, with ward captains talking only to department heads, and department heads talking only to the mayor. ​